Beet-harvester.



P. c. FRIEDEL. BEET HARVESTER.

' 'APPLICATION FILED JAN- 12, I QII- 1,251,362. Patented Dec. .25, 1917.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR Mmssszs J74 1 ATTORNEY P. C. FRIEDEL.

BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-12.1917.

1,251,362. Patented Dec. 25,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- WITNESSES ZPETER o. FRIEDEL, or ELYRIA, OHIO.

BEET-HARVESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

Application filed January 12, 1917. Serial N 0. 142,073.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER C. FRIEDEL, an American citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at Elyria, in the county of Lorain and 5 State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to beet harvesters, and it has for its purpose to produce an organized machine of simple and improved construction.

A particular object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of the topping device which is carried by the main frame in advance of the beet lifting elements.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the general construction and operation of the working parts of the machine. 7

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

1n the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a top plan View of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fi 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. l is a perspective detail view. of the topping device. I

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The carrying frame of the device includes an arched axle 15 having spindles 16 on which the ground wheels 17 are mounted for rotation. The limbs of the axle are provided near their lower ends with forwardly extending arms or brackets 18, said arms being also connected with the limbs by inclined braces 19. The forward ends of the arms 18 55 are connected together by a cross piece or.

rod 20 on which is mounted an upright 21 serving together with the axle arch to support the tongue 22, which latter is also connected with the limbs of the axle arch by inclined braces 23, thereby producing a truck frame of very rigid and substantial construction. The bridge piece of the axle arch supports a seat 2st for the driver or operator.

The main frame of the machine includes side members 25 which are suitably connected together and spaced apart, said side members being preferably provided at their front ends with forwardly and upwardly extending inclined brackets 26 which are pivotally mounted on the cross piece or rod 20 between the upright 21 and the inner faces of the arms 18. A draft bar 28 with which an evener 27 is connected is attached in a flexible manner, as by means of interengaging links 29 and clevis members 30 to the forward ends of the brackets 26. It will thus be seen that when the machine is to be moved, the draft will be applied directly to the main frame that carries the working parts of the device, as will now be described. The side members of the main frame are provided well toward their rearward ends with stub axles 31 on which ground engaging wheels 32 are mounted.

The side members of the main frame are connected together near their forward ends by a cross bar 40 having downwardly extending teeth 41 constituting a comb whereby the leafy tops of the beets will be flattened down in advance of the topping mechanism when the machine is drawn over the ground, thereby presenting the leafy tops in a position to be conveniently and advantageously operated upon by the topping knife. The main frame is bridged, to the rear ward of the cross bar 40, by arch members 42 serving to support a runner R which consists of'a frame 43 having a shoe or slide member 4i connected therewith, said frame and shoe being curved upwardly at the front so as to engage and slide over the beet tops. The runner frame is providedwith uprights 45 extending through the arch members 42 and having stop members 46 at their upper ends to limit the downward movement thereof. Springs 47 are coiled about the uprights between the arch members and'the runnerframe, the latter being thereby resiliently forced in a downward 110 direction. The uprights 45 are externally threaded, and the stop members 46 have been shown as consisting of nuts in threaded engagement therewith. twill be seen that by adjustment of the nuts on the uprights the limit of the downward movement of the runner may be varied. The sides of the run ner frame are provided with eyes 48 that are in slidable engagement with keepers d9 supported adjacent to the inner faces of the side members of the main frame, thereby serving to guide and to steady the vertical movement of the runner against the tension of the springs d7.

The runner frame is provided at its rearward end with downwardly extending brackets oO having vertical slots 51. 52 is a knife blade or cutting member which is provided at the sides thereof with upstanding fianges 53 which are adj ustably connect ed with the brackets 50 by means of bolts 54 engaging the slots 51. The knife blade 52 is provided at its rearward end portion with an upwardly extending obliquely disposed flange 55 whereby the tops that are severed by the said blade will be deflected laterally to one side where they will be dumped on the ground over the side edge of the blade, out of the path of the lifting or digging members which are supported to the rearward of the topper.

By the manner herein described of supporting the topping device it will be seen that the runner may not only be adjusted vertically, but that it may be adjusted to variously inclined positions, the arch members l2 and related parts affording independent supports for the forward and rearward ends of the runner. The leafy tops of the beets will be straightened and flattened by the comb in advance of the runner, and the runner will ride over the tops of the beets, the runner being self-adjusting to high and low beets. The blade which is carried by the brackets at the rearward end of the runner will cut the leafy tops from the beets together with as much or as little of the beet roots as may be desired, adj ustme'nt to this end being effected by properly adjusting the cutting member With respect to the brackets 50.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this,

invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it appertains. The construction of the improved machine is simple, and it will be found to be thoroughly effective for the purposes for which it is provided.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, arch members spanning the frame, a runner having uprights extending through the arch members and provided with stops adjustable thereon, and springs mounted on the uprights to resiliently resist upward movement of the runner.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, arch members spanning the frame, a runner having uprights extending through the arch members and provided with stops adjustable thereon, and springs mounted on theuprights to resiliently resist upward movement of the runner, said runner and the side members of the frame being provided with interengaging keepers and eyes to guide the runner in its vertical movement.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, ajcomb carried by and extending between the forward ends of the side members, arch members spanning the frame, a vertically movable runner supported by the arch members, andv springs to resist the upward movement of the runner.

4. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, a comb carried by and extending between the forward ends of the side members, arch members spanning the frame, a vertically movable runner supported by the arch members, and springs to resist the upward movement of the runner, said runner being equipped with a cutting member connected therewith for vertical adjustment.

5. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, a comb at the forward endof the frame, arch members spanning the frame, a runner carried by the arch members and connected therewith for free vertical movement, means for independently limiting the downward movement of the forward and rearward ends of the runner, springs to resist the upward movement of the runner, and a cutting member connected with the runner at the rearward end thereof for vertical adjustment, said cutting member having an obliquely disposed upstanding flange at its rearward edge to direct material to one side of the frame.

6. In a machine of the class described, a frame having side members, arch members spanning the frame, a runner connected with and resiliently supported by the arch members, said runner including a frame having side members provided with downwardly extending vertically slotted brackets, and a. cutting blade having upturned flanges adjustably connected with the slotted frame having side members, arch members spanning the frame, a runner connected with and resiliently supported by the arch members, said runner including a frame having side members provided with downwardly extending vertically slotted brackets, and a cutting blade having upturned flanges adjustably connected with the slotted brackets, said cutting blade being provided at its rearward edge with an obliquely disposed upturned flange to direct cut material to one 10 side of the frame; the runner and the side supported to the rearward of the comb, and

a cutting member connected with the runner.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PETER C. FRIEDEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

